When Lightning strikes

[Celethiel]

https://weather.yahoo.com/photos/when-lightning-strikes-1408041646-slideshow/

 

I found a cool slideshow of lightning strikes pictures...

The coolest ones I think are the ones during the volcanic Eruptions.

Like this

Edited November 28, 2014 by Celethiel

[Graeme]

Oh, wow!

[faxity]

Just in case anyone nearby wasn't screwed enough already

[SolarMaxx]

I love lightning -- this pic is genuinely cool!

Edited November 29, 2014 by SolarMaxx

[JamesSavik]

This is actually common in volcanic eruptions.

 

Lava is very hot and under high pressure. When it comes out, the pressure is released and there are literally tons of ionized gas and dust particles that are liberated from the magma.

 

In a Pilnian eruption like this one, the cloud is charged and the lightning that you see occurs as the cloud cools and discharges itself.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plinian_eruption

 

This sort of eruption is named after Pilny the Younger who chronicled the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD.

[Celethiel]

This is actually common in volcanic eruptions.

 

Lava is very hot and under high pressure. When it comes out, the pressure is released and there are literally tons of ionized gas and dust particles that are liberated from the magma.

 

In a Pilnian eruption like this one, the cloud is charged and the lightning that you see occurs as the cloud cools and discharges itself.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plinian_eruption

 

This sort of eruption is named after Pilny the Younger who chronicled the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD.

I seem to recall Pilny the Elder Died in the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius of ash-inhalation.

Edited November 29, 2014 by Celethiel

[JamesSavik]

It was a bad day for all concerned.

[Carlos Hazday]

Thanks for the visuals and the science lesson. Great tidbit of knowledge to store in my cluttered mind. You never know when it may come in handy!

[Cia]

I find this phenomenon to be really interesting. The Catatumbo Lightning storms happen where the Catatumbo river drains into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela.

 

[Celethiel]

Thanks for the visuals and the science lesson. Great tidbit of knowledge to store in my cluttered mind. You never know when it may come in handy!

so if you're ever near a volcanic eruption, watch out for the lightning storms that come with

[MarcW]

holy moly !!!

i tend to watch all the storms when they strike around here .. my little brother on the other hand hides under the bed ..